


The Journey Continues

by aquariuslover



Series: Expectations! [22]
Category: DBSK | Tohoshinki | TVfXQ | TVXQ, Infinite (Band), Super Junior, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Complicated Relationships, Great Galactic Adventures, Kim Namjoon knows, M/M, Past Relationship(s), Reunited and It Feels So Good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-27
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-03-20 06:59:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18987607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquariuslover/pseuds/aquariuslover
Summary: Yunho and Jaejoong find themselves right back where they started.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to Amy for her help!!! A million thanks to Tanya for the beta!!! This was a rough one!

The Journey Continues…

 

Everything had changed.

 

Everything he had thought was true was a lie.

 

Yunho was sitting on the exam bed in sickbay waiting for Ryeowook to finish his examination.  His mind kept returning to Jaejoong and their tragic goodbye.  The heartbreaking look on Jaejoong’s face as he ripped into Yunho’s mind altering his memories and diminishing his emotions. 

 

Jaejoong’s words; his commands replayed in Yunho’s mind, _“Each passing day you will love me a little bit less.  You will not search for me and you will not ask others to search for me, and sometimes you will wonder if we were ever bonded at all.”_

 

But there were other words that replayed in his mind, words that were not kind, words full of warnings _… “I want him to be as destroyed…as destroyed as the bond I once had with him is…”_

 

Yunho rubbed his face and couldn’t stop himself from shivering, causing Ryeowook, who was examining him to ask, “Captain, are you okay?”

 

“You tell me,” Yunho responded miserably as he continued to rub his face.

 

“All the scans say you are,” Ryeowook informed the captain.  “Your mind has been subjected to so much telepathy that it would take a lot to affect you.”

 

Yunho lowered his hands.  “Can I return to duty?”

 

“Of course, although you look unusually troubled,” Ryeowook told him.  “Changmin was being extremely cautious, but I agree with Dr. Nam’s initial examination.”

 

“Changmin didn’t send me here because he was worried for my health,” Yunho stated honestly.  “He sent me here because he feared I would ask the Guardian of Time to take me to Jaejoong.”

 

“Did he?”  Ryeowook asked, startled by the admission.  “Why would you seek Jaejoong out after all this time?”

 

Yunho shuddered and spoke truthfully to the doctor, “You were right all along…one doesn’t handle their timeless love leaving them…with such ease…not like I did.  It was all a lie.”

 

Ryeowook leaned against the bed.  “Go on…”

 

“Jaejoong altered my memories and my emotions.  He cracked my head like an egg and reduced our love to a pale shadow of its former self.   He then put my mind back together the way he wanted it to be.  The Guardian of Time somehow undid what he did and returned my memories to me and my feelings.  This might sound crazy to you…”

 

“Nothing sounds crazy to me where the Guardians of Time are involved,” Ryeowook told the captain.  “Go on.”

 

“I met an old version of myself, but not exactly a version of myself…this man and I shared a soul,” Yunho explained.  “He was a broken and pitiful man, because he had been separated from his Jaejoong in his lifetime.”

 

Ryeowook reached out and laid a hand on Yunho’s knee. “You are not broken though…you do not break.”

 

“I am not so sure of that,” Yunho admitted. “I want to go to the Guardian of Time and demand it take me to Jaejoong.  He is not well.  He is far from well.”

 

“Then do it.”

 

“I can’t.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Not because of pride,” Yunho stated.  “But because Jaejoong was right to leave.  He would destroy Changmin if he returned.  He hated him.  He told me so.  He warned me that he would destroy Changmin and I believe him.”

 

“But like you said he wasn’t well.  I always knew he wasn’t well, not after losing Changmin in the way he did.  I am no expert on Joongs, but I know it is you he needs!”

 

Yunho stood up and let out a bitter laugh as a single tear glided down his cheek.  “But he’s self-healing Ryeowook!  I can’t make Jaejoong heal himself!  You can’t heal him!  I can’t heal him.  He has to want to be healed and he just wants to die.  He just wants to die.  Leaving was the kindest choice Jaejoong could make.”

 

“So, you won’t go after him and give him a reason live?”

 

Yunho shook his head.  “Not now, I can’t promise what I will do someday, but not now.  The ship, Changmin, and my life are…are not some consolation prize.  I love my life.  I love my adventures.  I embrace my responsibilities.  I will not sacrifice my life to join him in the darkness.”

 

“But you love him.”

 

“Ryeowook, I do love him, but I am NOT defined by that love.  I am more than my relationship with him.  We may have a timeless love, but I am more than my love for him.”

 

Ryeowook, whose eyes were glassy, told the captain softly, “He loved you, but he never truly understood you or your strength.  You never needed his telepathic intervention to go on, and I think that might be the saddest part of this story.”

 

Yunho wiped the tear from his face.  “I think you might be right, but I still miss him though, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”

 

“You should miss him,” Ryeowook told the captain.  “He is your great love.  It is okay to cry for him, to yearn for him, to wish things had ended differently, or not ended at all.”

 

Yunho nodded his head.  “Doctor, I think I will be seeking you out often in the coming weeks because I sometimes think you understood him best.”

 

“He would be outraged by the mere suggestion.”

 

“He would be,” Yunho agreed with a weak smile.  “But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true.”

 

Ryeowook smiled back at the captain.  “You are free to return to duty, and my door is always open to you.  Always.”

 

“Thanks, I think in —” Yunho stopped as a large group of Starfleet personnel were suddenly beamed directly to sickbay, including the away team members except for Changmin and Jimin.   The ship’s computer promptly announced a yellow alert.

 

Yunho watched as Dr. Nam lost consciousness after re-materializing, prompting the Sickbay safety mechanisms to immediately place him in stasis and transport him to an exam bed.  Dr. Cho moved swiftly and was immediately at the other doctor’s side ordering diagnostic tests. 

 

Siwon, who was also beamed up, along with his diplomatic team, swayed on his feet, causing the nurses on duty to quickly place him on an exam bed. The rest of the newly arrived crew looked surprised and unnerved but none of them lost consciousness.

 

“Ensign Dongwoo, report!” Yunho commanded.

 

“Sir, I don’t know…not exactly…at first I got a chill…and then my head started hurting,” the ensign attempted to explain. “Jimin ordered that all the human crew to be transported immediately to the ship.”

 

Dr. Jin promptly arrived in sickbay and started assessing the rest of the personal. 

 

“Changmin did this,” Dr. Cho proclaimed as he pulled the empathic detector from Woohyun’s medkit and read the results.  “It is reading 100%...Woohyun and Siwon should be dead and the others should have severe brain damage.”

 

Yunho paled at the thought of Changmin almost killing his crew. 

 

“But the humans from Earth are not permanently harmed,” Dr. Jin quickly announced as he moved over to assess Siwon.  “They have minor dilation of the blood vessels in their head, but their injuries are resolving as we speak.”

 

“Yunho…err I mean Captain Yunho, it was Jaejoong.  He was down there and Changmin didn’t seem happy about it,” Ensign Jung, who had come to stand beside Ensign Dongwoo, warned.

 

“Jaejoong…” Yunho repeated, so unnerved by the news of Jaejoong’s presence he barely noted the arrival of his cousin on the ship.

 

Dongwoo nodded his head in agreement.  “Everything was fine and then Jaejoong came through the Guardian of Time.”

 

Yunho quickly snatched Dongwoo’s phaser from him, tapped his combadge and ordered, “Lieutenant Donghae transport me directly in front of Jaejoong, now!”

 

 

                                                    **********************************

 

 

 Yunho fired the phaser as soon as he materialized. 

 

He watched as Jaejoong crumbled to the ground and then he shot him six more times.  Only once he was sure Jaejoong was unconscious did he allow himself to assess his surroundings and what he discovered horrified him.   He had to call on every lesson he had ever learned at the academy to remain calm.

 

Changmin was on the ground with his bloody head in Jimin’s lap.  Yunho forced visions of all the times he had seen Jaejoong melt a person’s brain from his head and shot Jaejoong again.

 

“Captain!”  A tearful Jimin cried out in alarm.  “What are you doing?”

 

Yunho walked over to stand over Changmin and ordered in a voice of steel, “Tell me what is going on, now!”

 

“His Royal Highness appeared and Prince Changmin…he lashed out,” Jimin hurriedly supplied, unused to this version of Yunho, who had kept shooting Jaejoong.  “I could feel his anger…the crew started reacting to his…uncontrolled mental powers.  His Royal Highness protected the crew, but he couldn’t keep protecting them and the natives of this planet.  I knew Prince Changmin wouldn’t be able to stop himself, so I—” Jimin paused to point at a rock that was laying nearby.  “I hit him in the head with a rock. I knew he wouldn’t want to hurt his friends.”

 

Ryeowook’s words replayed in Yunho’s head of how Woohyun and Siwon should have been dead.  Yunho shot Jaejoong again and tapped his combadge.  “Commander Cho, beam a native of Dajakju who is in this vicinity to the ship and check them for brain damage.”

 

“Yes, Sir,” came Commander Cho’s immediate response. 

 

“Enact safety protocol J138KC98,” Yunho told his second in command.  “I am stunning Jaejoong repeatedly, but I doubt it will affect him for long.”

 

“Understood,” Commander Cho replied.

 

“Captain Yunho!”  Jimin cried out in alarm as Yunho kept shooting Jaejoong.  “His Royal Highness Jaejoong was only trying to help!  Why are you doing this to him?  You love him!”

 

“My love for him does not erase the fact that the last time I saw him he wanted nothing more than to kill Changmin.”

 

“No!  No!  No!”  Jimin cried out.  “He was helping.  He didn’t hurt Prince Changmin…I did.”

 

Yunho shot Jaejoong again and stated coolly, “One thing I have observed about you Jimin is that you are loyal to the Royal Family of Joong above all others and Jaejoong currently outranks Changmin.”

 

“I’d never betray Prince Changmin!”  Jimin cried out in outrage as if Yunho had struck him.  “You need to give Prince Changmin the Custos Humanae Vitae!  He will heal himself soon, and then you and all the people of this planet will not be safe!  Your crew in orbit may not be safe!”

 

“Jimin, if I take that necklace off of you…I will never be able to trust you again,” Yunho told the young Joong as he shot Jaejoong again.  “I want to, but I just can’t risk it.”

 

“Captain may I be of assistance to you,” Lieutenant Kim, who had materialized behind the captain, asked as he walked up Yunho carrying a tricorder and a med kit. 

 

Relief showed on Yunho’s face and he nodded his head.  “You are always an assistance to me Namjoon, please assess Changmin.”

 

Namjoon walked closer to Changmin and Jimin, promptly scanning the science officer.  “He appears to be healing after suffering blunt trauma to the head.  Although, I am not a doctor, I estimate he will regain consciousness in the next fifteen minutes.”

 

“I have to get another necklace,” Yunho told the Lieutenant Kim.  “I have to get one for Changmin.”

 

“Also, we should remove the Custos Humanae Vitae from Jimin and replace it immediately,” Lieutenant Kim suggested.  “We cannot be sure that Jaejoong did not remove it prior to your arrival and have Jimin place it on his own neck, and if that is the case then Jimin can remove it at will.”

 

Jimin shook his head.  “He didn’t!  His Royal Highness doesn’t want to hurt anyone!  He was trying to save people!  You are all wrong about him!”

 

“I want to believe that,” Yunho told Jimin as he shot Jaejoong again.  “I want to believe that more than anything, but I am not going to risk Changmin’s life because I want to believe something.”

 

“It’s the truth!” Jimin proclaimed, while cradling Changmin close to him.  “I think he was more surprised than we were when he showed up here.”

 

“Captain,” Commander Cho’s voice called out from the combadge.  “The native of the planet we beamed aboard the ship did have brain damage, but Dr. Cho reports he was protected to an extent.”

 

Yunho let out a sigh of relief.  “I want the other injured natives beamed to the ship and treated.  I think Jaejoong was protecting them from Changmin.”

 

“Yes!” Jimin cried out as he stroked Changmin’s hair.  “But he was having a difficult time protecting all of them. He said Changmin’s range was much farther now.”

 

“Commander Cho, I want Changmin, Jimin, and Lieutenant Kim beamed to a shuttle. I want it far out of the range of the Expectations.”

 

“Sir…I will require Lieutenant Kim’s approval,” Commander Cho informed the captain.

 

Yunho shot Jaejoong again, turned to Lieutenant Kim, and explained his plan, “You will be safe with Changmin and Jimin on the shuttle.  I am going to go through the Guardian of Time to find another Custos Humanae Vitae.”

 

Lieutenant Kim looked taken aback.  “Sir, but how do you know the Guardian of Time will cooperate with you?”

 

“Once the Guardian of Time let Lieutenant Sunggyu and Ensign Henry travel through it to collect Dilithium Crystals.  I am confident it will do the same for me.”

 

“Yes, I do recall,” Lieutenant Kim replied to the captain.  “Are you sure the Guardian of Time will not be angry with you for attacking Jaejoong?”

 

Yunho shrugged.  “It might be, but it can’t kill me without killing Jaejoong.  I have to do this.”

 

Namjoon nodded in agreement and hit his combadge, “Commander Cho, I concur with Captain Yunho’s orders.  Prepare a shuttle immediately.  Also, please send the captain the necessary supplies he may require on an away mission.  We have very little time before Lieutenant Jung awakens.”

 

“The shuttle is already prepared, and the supplies are being sent,” Commander Cho announced.  “Lieutenant Kim, on your order we will beam you, Lieutenant Jung, and Jimin aboard the shuttle.”

 

“What of his Royal Highness Jaejoong?” Jimin asked, while closely observing Changmin for any signs that the prince was about to awaken.  “I am sure he came to reunite with you, Captain!”

 

“That doesn’t matter, I have to focus on my mission,” Yunho stated as he shot Jaejoong two more times, and then turned toward the Guardian of Time.  “Jaejoong can fend for himself.”

 

“He is proven most capable of handling himself,” Lieutenant Kim concurred.  “Captain, we will be taking our leave of you.”

 

“Yes, go before Changmin awakens,” Yunho ordered as he collected the supplies that had been beamed down to him.  “With the Guardian of Time’s cooperation, I will see you shortly.”

 

“Commander Cho beam us aboard the shuttle,” Namjoon ordered and instantly him, Jimin, and Lieutenant Jung were transported away.

 

Yunho knelt in front of the Guardian of Time and asked humbly, “Great Guardian of Time I beseech that you grant me passage to a place where I can collect a Custos Humanae Vitae.   I also respectively request that you return me to my ship and this time once I have accomplished my goal.”

 

The Guardian of Time’s waters started swirling and it responded in its ageless and powerful voice, “Yunho of the Royal House of Joong, I shall honor your requests.”

 

“I thank you,” Yunho told the Guardian of Time as he stood up and entered the ancient portal without looking back.

 

                                                      *********************************

 

Yunho emerged from the Guardian of Time to find himself surrounded by Zusaders.   He quickly grabbed for his phaser but was punched in the face by one of the massive beasts before he could reach it.

 

The punch sent him flying backwards several feet before he tumbled to the ground. He quickly rolled out of the way before another Zusader could kick him in the gut. 

 

“Damn!” He cursed as he felt a sting as one of the whips the Zusaders were using managed to strike his hand.   He climbed to his feet and pulled out his phaser.  The Zusaders after seeing the weapon slowed their attack and started circling him.   He counted six of them, shook his head to clear it, and told them, “You guys just never play fair, do you?”

 

The Zusaders snorted in response.

 

“Hey! I have my phaser set on wide beam stun!” Yunho called out, as he quickly noted that they were preparing to charge him, while silently praying the phaser would work.  The presence of the Zusaders had surprised him.  Perhaps, the Guardian of Time was angry at him for stunning Jaejoong after all.

 

The Zusaders continued to circle him, while eyeing his weapon cautiously.  He noted these Zusaders were not dressed like the ones they had encountered in the past, and they seemed even more primal.

 

“I could easily kill all of you,” Yunho warned, hoping the universal translator was working.  There was no guarantee that any of his equipment would work.  The normal laws of physics and mechanics did not apply to some of the planets in this galaxy due to the advanced devices left behind by a mysterious race that neutralized them.  Many believed these devices were of Joong origin, but nothing had been proven.  His science department had worked diligently to overcome the effects of these ancient devices, and he hoped the changes they had made to the equipment would be effective now.

 

Yunho hated to kill, but if stunning them did not work, he would have no choice.  The Zusaders were huge; each of them towering over seven foot and weighing over three hundred pounds apiece. Zusaders were a carnivorous species and he couldn’t help but think they had dinner on their mind. He patiently waited for them to charge him before firing but they didn’t attack him.  Instead he watched as blood started dripping from the eyes, ears, and snouts of two of the massive beings, causing them to screech out in agony before dropping to the ground dead.

 

Behind the two fallen Zusaders stood a very displeased looking Jaejoong, who had no qualms about killing Zusaders.  The other four Zusaders immediately ran toward Jaejoong, but once they came within five feet of him, they fell to the ground unconscious.

 

“You shot me!”

 

Yunho winced.  “I stunned you.”

 

“You shot me multiple times!”  Jaejoong complained as he dusted off the dirt from the lavish white robe he was wearing.  “No…hello, no thank you for saving your crew for the BILLIONTH TIME!!!  You just shot me!”

 

“Stunned…” Yunho repeated with barely suppressed affection as he watched the flustered Joong. He wasn’t surprised that Jaejoong had followed him, but he was still relieved.

 

Jaejoong looked up and glared at Yunho.  “Did you aim a weapon at me and fire it?”

 

“I did.”

 

“Then you shot me!”

 

Yunho, who found the whole situation way more amusing than it should be, tried desperately to remember their last encounter.  He reminded himself that he had many reasons to be angry with his bond mate.  “Stop it.”

 

“Stop what?”  Jaejoong demanded. “Stop saving your life?  Stop saving your crew’s life?”

 

“No, you can continue doing that,” Yunho told him, while attempting to keep a straight face.  “You need to stop being so adorable.”

 

Jaejoong’s expression softened. “I’m always adorable.”

 

“No, you really aren’t.”

 

“Well, you aren’t so adorable either when you are shooting me!”

 

“To be fair you have me blocked,” Yunho pointed out.  “I sense nothing from you!”

 

“Do you shoot everybody you can’t sense?” 

 

“You know I don’t!” Yunho responded, feeling his irritation growing.  “But I am supposed to sense…feel you!   If I had sensed you, I might have known you were no longer a raving lunatic.  You aren’t, are you?”

 

“No.”

 

“Good because that was bad, really bad.”

 

“Yunho I’m so sorry,” Jaejoong apologized, looking truly remorseful.  “I was so malicious before I left.  I am so sorry for everything I did or said.”

 

“But you are better?”

 

“Yes, I want to live,” Jaejoong told Yunho firmly.  “It took a long time and I had to have help, but I escaped my gloom.”

 

“Gloom?”

 

“Think of it as really bad depression,” Jaejoong replied.  “I am better now.”

 

“I wanted to be the one that helped you,” Yunho blurted out, hating how pathetic he sounded.  “But you wouldn’t let me.”

 

Jaejoong looked down at the ground, unable to face his great love.  “The person that helped me did so without my permission.  They caught me off-guard. You could not have helped me.  I wouldn’t have let you.”

 

“Who helped you?”

 

“I can’t say,” Jaejoong explained, but quickly added, “But, I am better!  I do want live and I want to make amends.  There are so many things I regret…” Jaejoong paused as he looked up to find Yunho walking away from him.  “Yunho!”

 

Yunho, who was busy looking at his tricorder, was heading off in a northerly direction. “I don’t have time for your secrecy.  I have a mission to complete.  I have a lot of miles to cover before I reach the Custos Humanae Vitae.”

 

“I am not being secretive,” Jaejoong protested as he followed after Yunho.  “There are some things I can’t tell you.  I just can’t!  You know this!”

 

“How is that not being secretive?”

 

“Well…well…why…does it even matter who healed me?”

 

“It doesn’t matter at all,” Yunho stated bitterly, continuing on his way.  “You can go back to Joong and hang out with the person, who could heal you, when I couldn’t.  Have a happy life, Jaejoong!  While I continue to attempt to clean up the fucking mess you left behind!”

 

“It was my Birth-Parent!” Jaejoong yelled out at Yunho, taken aback by the other man’s bitterness.  He then hurried to keep up with his bond mate.  “There are you happy?”

 

Yunho turned around, and just stared at Jaejoong with a truly puzzled expression.  “Your parent helped you!  Big deal!  It is what parents do!  Why could you not tell me that?”

 

Jaejoong opened his mouth and closed it, not even sure of the answer himself.

 

“Why is it so hard for you to be honest with me?”  Yunho asked while shaking his head in dismay.

 

“Being secretive is not the same as being dishonest.”

 

“It really is.”

 

“No, it isn’t,” Jaejoong insisted, while lowering his gaze to Yunho’s hand.  “You need to heal yourself.”

 

“Heal myself?”

 

“You have one of Ryeowook’s medkits, so use it on your hand.”

 

“My hand feels absolutely fine.”

 

“You were hit by a Zusader’s whip,” Jaejoong informed Yunho.  “I might have you blocked but I can still sense you are injured.”

 

Yunho raised his eyebrows, reminding Jaejoong of an adult Changmin. “It doesn’t hurt, so I don’t know what you are sensing exactly.”

 

“They are poisonous!”

 

“So, you say…”

 

“So, I say?  What the hell does that mean?”  Jaejoong demanded, growing more irritated by the second. 

 

“I wouldn’t put it past your secretive ass to lie about that,” Yunho told Jaejoong.  “Maybe I was never dying the day we met.  I think you just sensed I was your timeless love, and you bonded with me because you wanted to.  You knew from reading my mind that I would never go along with the bonding willingly, so you gave me some elaborate story about how you were doing it to save my life.”

 

Jaejoong’s jaw dropped and he was thunderstruck.

 

Yunho continued, “I’ve come to know another Joong, and he’s quite obvious about how desperate Joongs are to bond once they find their mate.  We have to actually keep the Custos Humanae Vitae on him to keep him from bonding with one of my young ensigns!  Which is really unfortunate because I wouldn’t be on this mission to claim another one for Changmin if I could use the one I already fucking have!”

 

Jaejoong controlled his astonishment and hissed, “Well, if you think I lied, just hurry on your way.  Don’t let me stop you!  I don’t want to hear you crying out for my help when you are in excruciating pain!”

 

“Don’t worry, I won’t,” Yunho told Jaejoong as he turned around and continued on his way.

 

 Jaejoong charged after Yunho.  “You are the most exasperating man I have ever known! When you had your ship rescue this Joong had he not been beaten with the poisonous whips of the Zusaders?”

 

Yunho paused and grimaced, because Jaejoong was right.  He was surprised that Jaejoong had been paying any attention to what was going on with the ship at the time, but then again Jaejoong was the king of secrecy and a Joong had been brought aboard the ship;  a Joong that could share his and his world’s secrets.  “Did you meet Jimin?”  Yunho swung around and demanded.

 

“Yes, just recently when I was trying to save everyone,” Jaejoong snapped.  “How soon you forget!”

 

“No,” Yunho replied sharply.  “Did you meet him on the ship before you abandoned us?”

 

Jaejoong stared at Yunho.  “No, no I didn’t…why?”

 

“Are you lying?”  Yunho demanded.  “I am not sure how you would have done it because Lieutenant Sooyoung and Lieutenant Kim would have been monitoring you, but I don’t put it past you to somehow accomplish it.”

 

“You are paranoid!  Why would I want to meet him?”

 

“Because he’s a Joong!  He can tell us your precious secrets!”

 

Jaejoong’s eyes narrowed.  “I told you I didn’t.”

 

“But I can’t believe you, can I?”

 

“I think if I were you, I would be more concerned with the fact that you forgot the whips were laced in poison and now that poison is cursing through your body!  Also, you should be ashamed of the fact that you accused me of lying about our bonding!” Jaejoong spat at Yunho. “I am still waiting for an apology!”

 

“You will be waiting a long time,” Yunho informed him before storming off in the direction of the Custos Humanae Vitae.  “Oh, and I might have forgotten about the poison whips because right after Jimin was brought to the ship you ripped my mind apart and rearranged it to your liking.”

 

Jaejoong gasped.  “You…you know…?”

 

“Just be quiet!”  Yunho ordered furiously.  “Just be quiet!”

 

 

                                                                     ***************

 

 

Sickbay was bustling.

 

The nurses and the doctors worked diligently to repair the minds of the natives of the planet that had been beamed aboard the ship.  Changmin’s mental powers had reached out for miles and only Jaejoong’s shielding had prevented thousands from dying.  The humans of Earth descent had been released from sickbay, being the least affected by Changmin’s mental powers.

 

“Where is he?”  Lieutenant Sunggyu commanded as he entered sickbay. 

 

Nurse Lee looked up from the woman he was treating and answered, “He’s in exam room four.  He isn’t conscious, but he going to be fine.”

 

“Thank you,” Lieutenant Sunggyu told the male nurse and he hurried to Woohyun. 

 

When he entered the room, he let out an unconscious gasp, because the sight of a pale and lifeless Woohyun lying on the exam bed was not something he was accustomed to.

 

Sunggyu walked over to the injured man, took Woohyun’s hand, and looked up at the monitors.  During the academy all cadets in the command courses had to take some basic medical courses, so while he was far from being a medical professional, he could make sense of the readings and he was confident that Woohyun would indeed be fine.

 

“You know you are not supposed to be like this,” Lieutenant Sunggyu scolded the doctor affectionately.  “You are usually so full of life.  I must admit this is a little unnerving.  I am used to you saving the day not being like this.  This is bothering me more than…I will _ever_ admit to a conscious you.”

 

Sunggyu reached back, grabbed a chair and pulled it closer to the bed.  “Okay, can you please wake up and be all flattered that I am hovering at your bedside?”

 

“Not for a few more hours,” Dr. Jin stated as he walked into the room after overhearing Sunggyu.  “He is going to have a complete recovery, but he was right next to Changmin, so he got the worst of it.  It’s going to take time.”

 

Sunggyu did not look away from Woohyun.  “I thought Jaejoong protected them?”

 

“He did,” Jin replied.  “He just wasn’t prepared at first.  It took him a second to put up the shields and Lieutenant Jung had already lost control by then.”

 

“I find it very unnerving that Lieutenant Jung has been among the crew for months with this kind of power.  The power to kill us all,” Lieutenant Sunggyu stated.  “How was that possible?”

 

“We had done multiple tests on Lieutenant Jung,” Jin replied.  “We had tested his empathic projection abilities multiple times.  Woohyun was in charge of those tests.”

 

“So, are you saying this is Woohyun’s fault?” Sunggyu demanded as he turned around and glared at the doctor.

 

Jin shook his head.  “No, I am not saying that at all.  I am just saying that not even we can prepare for everything.”

 

 “That answer just doesn’t seem good enough to me, no offense,” Lieutenant Sunggyu stated coldly.  “I can’t help but think that if Lieutenant Jung was not the captain’s son …there might have been more measures in place to prevent this from happening.”

 

“I understand why you would feel this way.”

 

Sunggyu looked away from Dr. Jin and back at the unconscious Woohyun. “Are you saying my feelings are clouding my judgement?  That I am not thinking like a lieutenant…a command lieutenant?”

 

Jin walked over and placed a hand on Sunggyu’s shoulder.  “You are acting like a person that cares deeply for Woohyun.”

 

“You didn’t answer my question,” Lieutenant Sunggyu pointed out.  “Tell me would Lieutenant Kim make these accusations against the captain if he were in my place?”

 

Jin sighed, lifted his hand from Sunggyu’s shoulder, and told him truthfully, “No, he would not.”

 

Lieutenant Sunggyu turned around and eyed Jin skeptically. “So, if it was you laying on that bed, he wouldn’t question the captain’s decision?”

 

Jin looked alarmed.  “Why would you ask that?”

 

“Didn’t he once love you?”  Sunggyu asked and then quickly explained, “When we were watching the baby version of Changmin I knew it wasn’t boredom that woke the kid.  It was you. You were sad, even though you did your best to act otherwise, but baby Changmin felt it.  The way you were looking at that ring…I just assumed you two had history.”

 

Jin stiffened.  “We do have history, and he did once love me.”

 

“So, when he loved you would he have questioned the captain?”

 

“No,” Jin answered bluntly.  “He wouldn’t question Captain Yunho.  This situation was unpredictable, and no fault lies with the captain.  Starfleet allows aliens with precarious mental abilities to serve the fleet;  Vulcans for instance.  The captain kept having us test Lieutenant Jung long after we had given him full clearance.  Lieutenant Kim does not allow his emotions to cloud his judgement or unduly influence him.  He puts duty over love.”

 

Lieutenant Sunggyu looked back at Woohyun and nodded his head, “He is right to do so.  I was in error.  I didn’t know the captain was the one requiring more testing.”

 

“No, you wouldn’t have known, but Lieutenant Kim knows.  He has his hands in everything.  There is very little he doesn’t know in regard to the ship and the crew.”

 

“While I spend my days stuck in engineering, but still…”

 

“Still what?”

 

“I regret my words.  I spoke hastily and emotionally.  Captain Yunho has never done anything but prove his worthiness and I am ashamed of what I said.  It wasn’t like me to be so overwhelmed by emotion, and it is not a sign of a good command officer.”

 

Jin had mercy on the struggling lieutenant and told him, “No, not a quality that is valued in a command officer, but one that is highly sought after in a lover, or so I am told.”

 

Sunggyu blushed and lowered his head.  “We are not lovers.”

 

Dr. Jin smiled down at the unconscious Woohyun and stated softly, “Not yet.”

 

                                                      **************************

 

He kept walking.

 

The fingers on his left hand were numb, but he kept walking.

 

The terrain had initially been covered with grass, but the longer they walked the more bushes and trees they came upon; bushes and trees with thorns. 

 

The bushes had a wide assortment of flowers on them.  Some of the flowers looked like the daisies of earth, others reminded him of the Sky Lilies found on the planet Andoria, and some looked like nothing he had ever seen before. 

 

While walking he occasionally glanced up at the yellow sun that was not unfamiliar to him.  He wondered if the Joong trailing behind him realized where they were, but he did not ask.  Surely if the Zusaders had not been a big enough clue the increasing thorns would trigger his memory.

 

Yunho just kept on walking in the direction the tricorder pointed him.  Once he had obtained the Custos Humanae Vitae he hoped the Guardian of Time would immediately return him to the Expectations, but he couldn’t be certain of it.   He knew he couldn’t be sure of anything involving the Guardians of Time.  The ancient time portal’s loyalty was to the Joong behind him and not to him.

 

A thousand thoughts raced through his mind, and no dedication to duty could push them completely away for long.  Jaejoong had said he was better and yet their bond was not there.   Yunho felt nothing of their bond from the Joong, and the Joong had not reached out to him telepathically since his arrival.  Also the most unsettling thing of all was that Jaejoong had not once proclaimed his love for Yunho since returning nor had he made any effort to touch Yunho.  This bothered Yunho more than he cared to admit, because a well Jaejoong should have wanted to touch him both physically and mentally. 

 

Then there was also the issue that Yunho had been poisoned by the Zusader’s whips…he acknowledged this now, if only to himself.  What disturbed him the most was that Jaejoong had not intervened to heal him.  He wondered if Jaejoong couldn’t heal him any longer.  Jaejoong said he had sensed Yunho was injured, but what if he had just seen his hand?

 

He knew he should stop and treat his hand, but for some reason he couldn’t.  He just couldn’t.  He didn’t want to admit that Jaejoong was right.

 

Was it pride?  Was he being prideful?  Or was he just being stubborn?  Or maybe he was just trying to get Jaejoong to heal him…to touch him.   There was also something almost sad about him having to heal himself in the other man’s presence.  While he debated the issue of why he was being so stupid a thorny bush with red flowers caught his attention.

 

He stopped abruptly and stared at it mesmerized.  “Are those roses?”

 

A disgruntled Jaejoong, who has been following closely behind, barely avoided colliding with the starship captain. “Do I look like an expert on shrubbery?”

 

“They are,” Yunho stated softly as he walked over to admire the roses.  “They aren’t as big as Bessie’s roses, but they are roses.  I am such a fool.”

 

“Why?” Jaejoong asked perplexed as he watched Yunho gaze wistfully at the roses.  “I mean other than the fact that you are walking around with a deadly wound!”

 

Yunho didn’t answer him. 

 

The captain gently touched a rose before he walked away from the bush and found a clear patch of grass to sit on.  Jaejoong watched as the captain sat down, pulled out his medkit and took a series of injections. 

 

The Joong let out a sigh of relief as the poison was neutralized.

 

A puzzled Jaejoong waited for Yunho to get up, but the starship captain just kept looking at the roses longingly.  “Who is Bessie?”

 

“I don’t know,” Yunho answered honestly.  “I could have known who she was once, but I didn’t want to know.  I didn’t want to know the story.  I just know a prideful man sits for eternity among her beautiful roses…with a thousand regrets.”

 

The prince frowned, walked over, and sat down by Yunho careful not to touch him.  “If her roses are what led you to heal yourself then I am grateful to her.”

 

Yunho turned his head, observed Jaejoong, and confessed the truth, “I wanted you to heal me.”

 

“Is that why you put it off for so long?”

 

“Yes, but you are no longer able to heal me, are you?”

 

Jaejoong looked down at his lap and clasped his hands tightly together. “I could have...”

 

“Can you just stop?”

 

“Stop?”

 

“The lying…just stop,” Yunho told him miserably.  “Instead of lying to me just tell me you don’t trust me to know the truth and stop the lies.”

 

“That isn’t true.  I have always trusted you.”

 

“There you go lying again.”

 

“I’m not!  I trust you more than anyone.”

 

“Then just admit that the bond is gone… _broken beyond repair_.” Yunho whispered as he reached out for the Joong.  “Those were your words.  I didn’t believe you at the time, but I believe you now.”

 

“Stop it!”  Jaejoong cried out as he quickly moved away to avoid Yunho’s touch.  “Our bond is not broken.  I can heal you, but I don’t want to!”

 

“Why don’t you want to heal me?”

 

Jaejoong closed his eyes and struggled to remain calm.  “I need to keep myself closed off to you for now.  Our bond is not broken…it is as strong as ever.”

 

Yunho shook his head sadly.  “I don’t believe you.  I don’t feel any love from you.  You won’t even touch me.”

 

“Dammit Yunho,” Jaejoong cursed as he stood up. “It’s killing me not to touch you…to not heal you!  This isn’t what I wanted.”

 

“What do you want?”

 

“First I want you to heal your poor face.”

 

The captain reached up, touched his face, and found it tender where the Zusader had punched him. “I forgot about this.”

 

“I didn’t!  It’s been driving me crazy!  I can’t stand for you to be hurt!”  Jaejoong screamed at his mate, his pitch going higher and higher.  “Fix it already!”

 

“There was a time when you would never have allowed me to heal myself by such _primitive_ means,” Yunho grumbled as he grabbed for the medkit.

 

“You still think I am lying?”

 

“Yes,” Yunho answered honestly as he started healing his face.  “Like I said this isn’t like you.   The Jaejoong that I spent years with… _my Jaejoong_ healed me even when he was pissed at me.”

 

Jaejoong inhaled a deep breath and slowly exhaled it. “I am still your Jaejoong.”

 

“Maybe you are, but you are different,” Yunho informed him.  “Never have you not wanted to touch me.”

 

“I do believe there was a time once before when I didn’t want you touching me,” Jaejoong stated coolly with his arms folded across his chest.  “When everything you did pissed me off.”

 

Yunho dropped the medkit and gapped up at Jaejoong fearfully.  “No…”

 

“Yes,” Jaejoong hissed back at him.  “When my birth-parent awakened me from the darkness I reached out for you instantly, but then my shame stopped me from unblocking our bond.  You were the only thing I wanted, but I thought I could never bear to face you again after what I had done.”

 

“You must have known I would forgive you.  I’d forgive you anything.”

 

The Joong prince shook his head.  “I didn’t feel like I deserved your forgiveness.  Also, I am not so sure you would forgive me anything…the things I did to Changmin were unforgivable.  I couldn’t forgive myself.  Just like the man among the roses for eternity, I have my regrets.”

 

Yunho picked up the medkit. “So, you came back because you were shifting?”

 

“No,” Jaejoong denied.  “I had deluded myself into believing I could resist the effects of shifting forever if I avoided you and kept you blocked.”

 

“Then why did you come back?”

 

“Because Changlee tricked me,” Jaejoong explained as he sat back down.  “She handled me perfectly.  I had no intention of coming back until she intervened.”

 

“Changlee?”

 

“I can’t say who…no, that isn’t true.  I can say.  Changlee is my non-birth parent.”

 

Yunho gave Jaejoong a small smile.  “Did you name Changmin after your non-birth parent and my mom?”

 

“I don’t have any memories of the original timeline…the one where we didn’t already know Changmin’s name, but I must have.”

 

“That is nice,” Yunho told the Joong as he subtly scooted away from the other man.  “So, you don’t want to shift?”

 

Jaejoong’s eyes narrowed as he noticed Yunho moving away from him.  “I am already shifting.  It’s just the lovely first stage.  Before when I shifted, I was able to prolong stage one, and I plan on prolonging it again.  There are things I have to do before the shifting progresses, so no touching you, healing you, telepathy, unblocking you or anything else that would increase my chances of progressing to stage two.”

 

“I am not going to lie; I don’t want you to shift.”

 

“I noticed,” Jaejoong stated drily, eyeing the nearly five feet Yunho had managed to put between them.  “You don’t have to be so scared the baby rabies stage is far away.”

 

“I am not scared…okay, I am a little scared, because we are too fucked up to be bringing another child into this universe,” Yunho told Jaejoong.  “I mean our—Changmin nearly just wiped out an entire population.”

 

“We are not fucked up,” Jaejoong protested.  “We are a little broken, but once I open myself to you all will be well, but you are right Changmin has to be dealt with first.  I realized that instantly once I saw him.”

 

“Changmin?  Don’t you mean _Lieutenant Jung_?”  Yunho asked with a frown, remembering how Jaejoong had practically spit out the name before.

 

“No, I mean Changmin.  I can say his name.  I acknowledge that he is our son and I have to help him before I give in to the shifting.  Just because I feel no love towards Changmin, and our bond is broken doesn’t mean I can leave him in this condition.  I did this to him.”

 

Yunho expression hardened.  “Did what to him?”

 

Jaejoong fidgeted with his robes before replying, “I damaged his shields when I attacked him with my empathic wave.  Joongs are exceptional at healing our physical ailments, but we fail sometimes at healing the mental ones.”

 

“So, it isn’t just his anger at you that causes him to lose control?  You actually wounded him.”

 

“Yes,” Jaejoong confessed, while eyeing Yunho uneasily.  The starship captain did not look pleased.  “I wasn’t in my right mind, and I blamed him for everything.”

 

“He was a walking corpse to you.”

 

Jaejoong paled. “I regret saying such a thing.”

 

“Why?”

 

“What do you mean, _why_?”  Jaejoong asked, taken aback by the question.  “Why wouldn’t I regret saying such a horrible thing?”

 

“You just said you don’t love him.  Why would you want to help someone you don’t love?”

 

“Yunho,” Jaejoong said carefully.  “I may not love him, but I do want to help him.  He is my son!”

 

“How can you not love him?”  Yunho demanded as he stood up. “He grew inside of you.  You were his world and he was your world.  Where did all that love go?  How can it just be gone?”

 

Jaejoong, who remained sitting, looked up at Yunho, and answered sadly, “Our bond is gone.  Losing that love is what made me crazy.  You are human and you love all the time without bonds, but Joongs are different.  I don’t know how to love without a bond.”

 

“That is bullshit,” Yunho snapped as he glared down at Jaejoong.  “When you were shifting before you told me you loved him!  Do you even remember that?”

 

“I remember,” Jaejoong replied gently.  “I was in the later stages of shifting. I was emotional, and I had just spent weeks guiding and instructing him on the ways of being a Joong.  I cared for him then strongly, and I mistook it for a human sort of love.”

 

“Mistook it?”

 

Jaejoong looked pleadingly up at Yunho.  “What I felt then was not even a tiny fraction of what I felt for him when…when he was my baby and our bond was intact.  To claim I love him now would be a mockery of what our love once was.”

 

Yunho pulled out his tricorder, looked down at it, and then stated harshly, “We need to get moving.  We have a lot of ground to cover.”

 

“Yunho!”  Jaejoong cried out as the captain started walking away at a fast pace.  “Yunho!  I was trying to be honest with you and this is how you react!  Do you understand why I keep things from you?”

 

“I appreciate your honesty,” Yunho bluntly told him without slowing down. 

 

Jaejoong quickly got up and followed after the captain.  “You are not acting very appreciative!”

 

Yunho slowed.  “No, I want you to be honest…it’s just sometimes the truth hurts.”

 

“That is why I didn’t want to tell you,” Jaejoong whined as he trailed behind Yunho.  “It isn’t like I don’t care about him at all.  I do and I am going to help him.  He’s the reason I am not running into your arms.  He is the reason why I didn’t heal you.”

 

“I understand that.”

 

“Do you?”  Jaejoong demanded from behind the captain.  “Do you know how hard it is not to fall into your arms?  How hard it is not to rejoice in our love?”

 

Yunho glanced down at the tricorder before replying, “If I remember stage one of shifting correctly you aren’t exactly eager to be around me, so I am sure you will manage.”

 

“I will probably grow more irritated with you as time goes on, but I have missed you for so long.  The thought of stage three is very tempting…things would be so much better if I were in stage three.”

 

Yunho shook his head to free it of visions of an insatiable Jaejoong.  “No, we have a mission to accomplish and you are right to want to heal Changmin.  I respect that and I really want you to help him.”

 

Jaejoong nodded his head.  “I am determined to help him.  It’s just been a long time…a really long time.  Way too long since we made love.”

 

“Jaejoong!”  Yunho called out in alarm.  “There will be _no_ talk of sex or love making do you hear me?  We both have things we need to accomplish, so we need to stay focused.”

 

“I know…I know.”

 

Yunho slowed and turned around to face Jaejoong.  “I am confused though.”

 

“You do seem more confused than usual,” Jaejoong told him with a look of concern.  “Any head injuries since I was gone?”

 

“Only one that I can think of and you inflicted it,” Yunho informed the Joong with a scowl.

 

Jaejoong reddened.  “Well, I healed you, so we know that isn’t the reason for the confusion, but when all is well between us, I’ll doublecheck.  Umm, I’m just curious how did you come to realize what I had done to you?”

 

“I don’t think it is wise to talk about that now.”

 

“I totally agree!” Jaejoong replied too quickly, letting his anxiety show.  He wanted to know how Yunho had bypassed his conditioning, but he didn’t want Yunho dwelling on what he had done either.

 

“But back to my other question…”

 

“Okay.”

 

“You said you had planned on ignoring the shifting forever.”

 

“That was my intention even though it was pretty ignorant of me.”

 

Yunho looked Jaejoong in the eyes and asked what had been on his mind since the man returned, “Then why did you come back?”

 

“Changlee tricked me?”

 

“How?”

 

Jaejoong scoffed and slapped himself on the forehead with the palm of his hand.  “It’s so ridiculous that I am embarrassed to admit I fell for it. Changlee told me you were going to divorce me, so you could be with someone else.  She even said you would have more children. Can you believe I fell for that?”

 

Yunho quickly started walking away, avoiding eye contact.  “Nope, can’t believe you fell for that one!”

 

“I know!  It’s so absurd!” Jaejoong declared as he followed after Yunho.  “I mean like you could ever find anyone else remotely attractive after having been with me.  I was so insecure at the time that I fell for it.”

 

“Let’s increase our pace to a jog,” Yunho hollered out as he started to jog.  “We have many miles to cover.”

 

“Jogging? Are you serious?”  Jaejoong complained loudly.  “You know I am royalty!  Royalty don’t jog!”


	2. Chapter 2

Yunho kept walking and attempted to ignore Jaejoong’s endless barrage of grievances.

 

Yunho had been pleased by Jaejoong’s plan to prolong shifting so he could help Changmin, and he didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize Jaejoong’s plans to help their son.  Sadly, a Jaejoong, who didn’t have the parent-child bond with Changmin, could not be trusted to put Changmin first...not if he knew Yunho had really planned on divorcing him and taking another lover.

 

He knew if Jaejoong found out that Changlee had not tricked him then he would unblock Yunho, and once unblocked Yunho doubted even he would have the strength to put Changmin first. 

 

“How far have we gone?”  Jaejoong whined from behind Yunho where he trudged along, not the least bit happily.

 

“Twenty-two kilometers.”

 

“Can we stop and take a break?  I’m tired!”

 

Yunho, who didn’t want Jaejoong growing suspicious of him, craftily asked, “Is it an age thing?”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Jimin is a Joong and he never tires, but of course he is a lot younger than you,” Yunho pointed out, while maintaining his pace.  “So, is it an age thing?”

 

“Fuck you!”  Jaejoong hissed at Yunho as he sped up and passed the starship captain.

 

Yunho grinned, knowing his plan had worked.  He watched as the Joong stormed off in front of him.  The captain glanced down at his tricorder to see if humans had appeared around the necklace, but only saw the life signs of Zusaders.  Of course, Jaejoong couldn’t sense Zusaders from this distance, but Yunho knew if humans showed up Jaejoong would know.

 

This planet was one of ZhouMi’s and Yunho wouldn’t mind at all if Jaejoong melted the bastard’s mind.  The warlord had almost cost Changmin his life, raped Kyuhyun, tortured Shindong ruthlessly, and not even Yunho knew the full extent of the crimes he had committed against Jaejoong.  Yunho would follow the rules of Starfleet in regard to ZhouMi, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop Jaejoong from killing him and the knowledge did not upset him.

 

They had sped along their path for over an hour when Jaejoong shouted, “Jimin isn’t bonded to a weak _ass human_!  This body of mine is infected with your feeble DNA!”

 

“Really?”  Yunho asked, unable to mask his amusement.  “I don’t think I am the one bitching about being tired.”

 

Jaejoong did not turn around or respond, but Yunho knew he was fuming. 

 

They maintained their path with Yunho providing course adjustments when necessary, but Jaejoong remained deafeningly quiet. 

 

Yunho knew for certain that once Jaejoong got on the ship Yoochun’s mind would be the first one he would read.  Once Jaejoong read Yoochun’s mind he would know of Yunho’s plans to divorce him, so avoiding the conversation entirely was not an option.  Yunho was extremely grateful that he had not revealed who he had felt attraction for to his best friend.

 

Yunho also remembered Ryeowook’s words regarding how little Jaejoong actually understood him which made him sad.  Also, he couldn’t help but question how well he understood Jaejoong in return.  They had met and bonded.  They had never spent any time getting to know each other.  Yunho wondered what it would be like if Jaejoong stayed blocked to him and they actually had to communicate with each other verbally. 

 

They kept going another thirty kilometers until they came upon a grove of trees where the thorn bushes were sparse.   Yunho stopped, looked up at the sky that had started to cloud over and then back down at his tricorder.   “Jaejoong, it will be dark soon.  I think we should camp here tonight and resume our mission early in the morning.  We are not far from our destination now.”

 

Jaejoong, who was a good ten meters ahead of Yunho, turned around, and hissed, “If you are tired stay here and take a nap.  I will go get the necklace.  I don’t require your assistance.”

 

“Okay,” Yunho replied, refusing to be baited.  “It’s going to start storming soon.  I am sure getting hit by lightning won’t have any effect on you.”

 

“It wouldn’t!”

 

“Good,” Yunho responded as he unclipped the supplies from his belt.  “I will stay here and sleep then.  I have had a hell of a day and I think real rest would do me good.”

 

“Oh, and I have had the greatest day ever!” Jaejoong seethed as he watched Yunho start to prepare camp.

 

“Well hurry on and go save the day,” Yunho told Jaejoong as he set up a portable force field.  “Try not to get too wet!”

 

Jaejoong frowned and headed back toward Yunho with a look of yearning.  “Oh, I wish I was wet. I had plans for us you know…well, sort of.  I didn’t have time to plan much, but I was hoping for a magnificent reconciliation not this.”

 

“No sex talk!” Yunho commanded as he hit the controls to the portable force field causing it to generate a dome shaped shelter that would protect them from the weather and predators.  “When you fix Changmin we can have sex.  Hell, I will even take leave for a few days.”

 

“You?  You are going to take time away from your ship?”  Jaejoong asked aghast.  “Are you sure you are Captain Jung Yunho the great captain of the fleet?”

 

“Well, if the ship is in trouble, I won’t take leave, of course,” Yunho explained as he continued setting up the camp.  “But if you think I’m ever going to humiliate myself again by being on the ship while you are baby crazy, then think again.”

 

Jaejoong walked up to Yunho and smiled.  “So, you are just going to go on vacation the entire time I am in the third stage of shifting?  That may be a long time.  If I remember correctly it took you awhile to get the job done the first time.”

 

Yunho glared up at Jaejoong.  “Always my fault.”

 

“It was.”

 

“Like I believe you,” Yunho told Jaejoong as he opened a ration.  He pulled out what looked like a candy bar.  It tasted delicious and had all the nutritional value one needed for a week.

 

Jaejoong stood over Yunho and glowered. “Because I am the great liar?”

 

“No, because you would never ever admit to having any sort of failing,” Yunho responded unbothered as he ate his candy bar. 

 

“Well, shifting is no guarantee of pregnancy,” Jaejoong reminded Yunho.  “Lots of Joong shift and never get pregnant.”

 

“Can we talk of something…anything else other than shifting and knocking you up?”

 

Jaejoong nodded his head and sat down beside Yunho and asked, “I assume you know where we are.”

 

“I do.”

 

“He isn’t here though.”

 

“I know,” Yunho replied.  “I have been monitoring for humans and all I have detected are Zusaders.”

 

Jaejoong looked up at the cloudy sky and explained, “He never spent much time here before, but he will eventually return.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“There is a Joong being held captive here,” Jaejoong told Yunho.  “He will come for it and he won’t trust the Zusaders long with the Custos Humanae Vitae or the Joong.”

 

Yunho stood abruptly.  “There is a Joong?  He has a Joong?”

 

“Of course, there is a Joong!”  Jaejoong snapped.  “Why would the Custos Humanae Vitae be here if there weren’t a Joong?”

 

“You didn’t have it on you when I rescued…” Yunho paused as Seung-hyun’s long ago words returned to him.  “The Zusaders stole the Custos Humanae Vitae that was on you.”

 

“A group of them took it off me while I was in a healing sleep.  The other Zusaders were not aware of their plans for thievery.”

 

“Why did they take it?  Did they want to sell it?”

 

“I think they wanted me free so I could stop ZhouMi.”

 

“Wow, so they don’t even like the bastard.”

 

Jaejoong shrugged.  “They were just a small group and the others caught on to their plans before I awoke, unfortunately.”

 

“Can you sense the Joong at all?”

 

Jaejoong stared at Yunho, not bothering to hide his concern.  “The Joong would be wearing the necklace. I can’t sense anything from them.  You know I can’t read anyone if they are wearing the necklace.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“You know I can’t.  What is wrong with your memory?  Why has Ryeowook not made some primitive attempt to heal you?” Jaejoong asked anxiously.  “I healed you completely… _afterwards_ …I did not do this to you.  What happened to your brain?  Why am not sensing any sort of injury from you if you have this level of impairment?”

 

“I’m fine,” Yunho assured Jaejoong as he finished his candy bar.  “It has been a long day.  I just thought you might have been lying about the necklace, since Jimin can sense Changmin even though he wears the necklace.”

 

“He does not.”

 

“He does.”

 

“Even my birth-parent couldn’t sense Changlee if she wore the necklace,” Jaejoong stated dismissively.  “It is impossible.”

 

“Not with Changmin.”

 

“I was around Changmin in the past when he had the necklace on and if I couldn’t read him there is no way Jimin can.”

 

Yunho studied Jaejoong looking for lies but found none.  “Jimin calls it a buzzing.  He can sense or feel Changmin’s moods.  He knows when Changmin is upset, and he can always find him.”

 

Jaejoong gaped at Yunho.  “You are being serious?”

 

“I am.”

 

“That is preposterous!”

 

“And yet it is true,” Yunho told Jaejoong as the first sprinkle of rain hit him.  “I am going to sleep.  It’s been a long day…” Yunho paused and looked at Jaejoong before adding sincerely, “I am glad you are back.  I truly am.”

 

Jaejoong observed Yunho as he got up and entered the force-field generated dome before getting up and following him inside.  “Did something else happen today that I am not aware of?”

 

Yunho made sure there was plenty of distance between them before answering, “I had a weird experience with the Guardian of Time.”

 

Jaejoong’s eyes widened.  “What kind of weird experience?”

 

Yunho laid down on the floor of the dome and admitted, “Déjà vu.”

 

“Go on,” Jaejoong instructed as he sat down.

 

“When I woke up this morning your mind tampering was still in place.  The Guardian of Time undid it today.”

 

The Joong swallowed nervously and admitted, “Of all the things I regret, I think I regret that most of all.  I know how betrayed you must have felt when you learned the truth…what a violation you must have felt.  I was even tempted to go back in time to stop myself.”

 

“You the great defender of timelines?”

 

“Yes, because I should never have done it, no matter how good intentioned I was.”

 

“No, you should not have,” Yunho agreed.  “But I know why you did it and it did make things easier for me.”

 

“Did it?”

 

“I did miss you, but not like I should have.  Every morning I would wake up and reach for you, but then your mind control—”

 

“It wasn’t mind control, not really, I just wanted certain feelings to be muted,” Jaejoong stated, interrupting Yunho.  “I truly didn’t think I would ever escape the Gloom.  In my weakness I did this terrible thing, but even in my darkness I didn’t want you to spend your life missing me.”

 

Yunho turned on his side to face Jaejoong and smiled warmly at him.  “I know, even in my angriest moments I knew that.  I felt it was your last act of kindness.”

 

“I thought it was.  I didn’t want you be unhappy,” Jaejoong explained.  “Even after I recovered and thought I could never face you again I still wanted you to be happy.”

 

“Then why did you react like you did when Changlee told you I planned to move on?”  Yunho asked cautiously. 

 

Jaejoong’s gaze narrowed.  “Move on?”

 

Yunho swallowed nervously.  “Before today our love was diminished.  It diminished a little bit more every day that passed, but the memory of being with someone… _having a partner had not_.  Didn’t you think I would look for someone else?  That I would miss being in a relationship?”

 

“Did you?”

 

“I do not like being alone.”

 

“You have Changmin.”

 

“Changmin is my son and I love him, but it isn’t the same, not even close.”

 

Jaejoong leaned forward and asked icily, “Were you with… _did_ you lay with some slut while I was gone?  I will slowly melt their mind and rip them from this plane of existence.  I will destroy—” 

 

“No!” Yunho hollered as he felt something ambiguous pressing against his mind.  “I wasn’t!  Don’t unblock me!  I never touched anyone in a sexual nature while you were gone.  I swear on Changmin’s life!”

 

“Then why are you saying such things!”  Jaejoong shouted as he reigned in the instinct to unblock Yunho and read his mind.

 

“I am the prideful man that sits forever in a rose garden!”  Yunho shouted back at Jaejoong.  “The Guardian of Time made me see a version of myself…a man that shared my soul.  Seeing him is what broke the conditioning you had placed on me.  It is probably why I am feeling so off today.”

 

Jaejoong backed away from Yunho.

 

“He was miserable, and he spent fifteen years missing his Jaejoong until the grief finally killed him.  He had my name and he had my face,” Yunho told Jaejoong, while trembling as the memory returned.  “He wasn’t even that much older than I am now, but he looked so much older.  He didn’t even find peace in death!  Yesterday I did want to divorce you, yesterday I did want another lover, but not today…not after meeting him.  I could never love anyone as much as I love you.  I would never choose a life without you.  I never wanted you to leave.”

 

Jaejoong stared blankly at Yunho, trying to comprehend the immensity of what Yunho was telling him.  “That the Guardian of Time allowed you to have such an encounter is very rare.”

 

“It jarred me in so many ways.  I tried to pull myself together and be the captain that I am supposed to be, but Changmin knew.  He could feel my sadness and my longing.  He started quoting Starfleet regulations and had me beamed back to the ship.  He didn’t trust me near the Guardian of Time.  He thought I would go to you.”

 

“That is why you weren’t there?”

 

Yunho nodded his head. 

 

Jaejoong smiled lovingly at Yunho.  “I understand now, such an encounter is very taxing on the soul.  You should sleep.  I will be here when you awaken and then we will collect the Custos Humanae Vitae.  I will help Changmin, and then we will have our forever.”

 

Yunho smiled back at him.  “I love you.”

 

“And I love you, forever and for always.”

 

 

                                                      *********************

 

 

Namjoon placed the shuttle on autopilot, got up, and headed toward the back of the craft.  

 

Changmin, who was still unconscious, was lying on the exam bed with his head in Jimin’s lap.  Namjoon watched silently as Jimin gently threaded his hands through Changmin’s dark brown hair.

 

The relationship between the two of them intrigued the executive officer.  

 

Lieutenant Jung was an exemplary scientist, but he had always been emotionally stunted, and since discovering his Joong heritage he was prone to having outbursts.  Namjoon was well aware that telepathic species were difficult to control at times, but Starfleet had decreed their value as crew outweighed the shortfalls incurred by their unpredictable and potentially dangerous natures.

 

Even Vulcans, a race he and Lieutenant Jung both shared an admiration for, were prone to violence every seven years as the urge to mate overcame them.  Namjoon knew the Federation and Starfleet would not let the fear of the Joong prevent them from welcoming their mental prowess into the fold.

 

Most Joong were reported to be highly secretive, but Jimin had not been in regard to the worth he placed on Lieutenant Jung.  Namjoon wondered if all Joongs shared this almost fanatical worship of the Joong Royal Family. 

 

“Jimin, it is time for me to remove the Custos Humanae Vitae and replace it,” Namjoon informed the Joong, making his presence known.

 

“But what if I can’t feel Changmin afterwards?”  Jimin asked starting to feel panicked.  “He has always been l me before when it was placed.”

 

Namjoon was unmoved.  “His head is in your lap.  If it is an issue of contact then that should suffice.  If it is something else then he can replace the necklace when he awakens if he so wishes.”

 

Jimin nodded his head and allowed Namjoon to remove the Custos Humanae Vitae from around his neck and replace it.  Jimin immediately smiled when he still felt the soft buzzing emanating from Changmin.  “I wonder if I will still feel him when we both have on the evil necklaces?”

 

“Evil?”

 

“They can be used for evil,” Jimin stated as Namjoon took a step back.  “Many people use them so they can abuse and torture Joong.  They make handling us easy.”

 

“It is not our intention to be evil or cruel.”

 

“I know this,” Jimin admitted.   “But I couldn’t bare it if I couldn’t feel Prince Changmin buzzing.”

 

“I highly doubt the placement of a Custos Humanae Vitae on Lieutenant Jung will stop the buzzing.”

 

“Why?”  Jimin asked, while looking surprised by Namjoon’s statement.

 

“Whatever allows you to sense Lieutenant Jung does not appear to follow any of the rules that apply to the Custos Humanae Vitae.”

 

“I hope not,” Jimin declared while looking down at Changmin adoringly.

 

“Do all Joongs place such high esteem on the royal family as you?” 

 

“Of course,” Jimin answered immediately not taking his eyes off the unconscious man.  “They are the elite…the greatest of all Joong.”

 

Namjoon furrowed his brow.  “If you were to bond with Changmin would you therefore be a member of this elite royal family?”

 

Jimin jerked his head up and sputtered, “What?  No!  I am going to bond with my Kookie!  I have no intention of bonding with Prince Changmin!”

 

“That is not what I asked,” Namjoon calmly pointed out.  “The Guardian of Time refers to Captain Yunho as a member of the Joong Royal Family.”

 

“Then you have your answer.”

 

“But the captain and Jaejoong have a timeless love and it would be unwise for me to assume that all mates of the Joong Royal Family become royalty.”

 

“Yes, all mates of the royals become members of the Joong Royal House,” Jimin answered with a frown. “It isn’t like they are incestuous.  They do bond outside of their family.”

 

“Many royal families are incestuous,” Lieutenant Kim stated.  “The Joong would have an easy means of correcting any genetic defects brought on by incest.”

 

“True, but Joongs do not practice incest.”

 

“So, you would bypass a prince to be with a human?”

 

“Yes!” Jimin answered quickly.  “Joongs know when they meet their mates…they just know it.  I know Jungkook is meant to be my bond mate and nothing is more important to Joongs than finding their bond mate.    We don’t bond for privilege, status, or wealth… _none_ of that is important.  Love is the most important thing in the universe to a Joong.”

 

“Then why didn’t you bond with Ensign Jungkook on Orden?”  Namjoon questioned.  “You must have known you had an affect on him.  I am not telepathic, and I noticed it.  If you knew he was your mate why didn’t you force the issue, then?   You would both be bonded now, and he would have no choice but to be happy and you would never have been tortured.”

 

“Because I wanted him to choose me. I read his mind, I knew his past, and I didn’t want to force anything on him.”

 

Namjoon did not look convinced.  “This mindset of yours seemed to have changed entirely after being captured.”

 

Jimin sputtered, “It did, but I love Kookie!  I will bond with Kookie and protect him all the days of my life.  Isn’t that what you would want?”

 

Namjoon smiled as he read the medical scanners above Jimin’s head.  “Yes, it is but I am sure from reading Jungkook’s mind you also know he falls under my protection.”

 

“I do.”

 

“Good,” Namjoon replied as he looked down from the medical scanners to stare at the Joong.  “It would be very wise if you did not forget that.”

 

Jimin swallowed nervously.  “I won’t.”

 

Namjoon smiled and then informed the Joong, “Excellent, if you will excuse me, I will update Commander Cho on our current status.”

 

Jimin’s porcelain skin paled even further and he looked down at the prince who had awakened. Jimin had felt Changmin’s mind start to awaken during his discussion with Lieutenant Kim, but he prayed the prince had missed the more humiliating parts of the conversation.

 

“My Prince I know you are awake.”

 

Changmin’s eyes opened widely as he stared up at the Joong.  “You are beautiful and soft.”

 

Jimin reddened.  “Are you sure you didn’t wake from healing too soon?”

 

“But not _too_ soft.”

 

“Are you saying my legs are boney?”  Jimin asked with a small smile.

 

“No.”

 

“Then I will ignore you, because I insist on believing I am beautiful and entirely soft.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“For what?”

 

“For knocking me out,” Changmin answered and closed his eyes.  “Did I hurt anyone?”

 

“A lot of people,” Jimin acknowledged honestly.  “But they are being helped as we speak.  I am sure Lieutenant Kim could give you the details.”

 

“You gave much away to him.”

 

Jimin looked in the direction of the front of the shuttle worriedly.  “I tried not too, but he is very clever.”

 

“Some say he is as clever as I am,” Changmin grumbled, looking sour and displeased.

 

“Are you pouting?”  Jimin asked with a wide smile.  “I am not sure how intelligent Lieutenant Kim is, but I fear you are correct in saying that I gave too much away to him.”

 

“Yunho trusts him completely.”

 

“Yunho has no reason to ever fear him,” Jimin assured Changmin.  “I cannot read his mind, but I read my darling Kookie’s mind, who is very close to him.”

 

Changmin, whose head was still resting in Jimin’s lap, looked intrigued.  “Why is Lieutenant Kim so loyal to my father?”

 

“Lieutenant Kim was once a little monster, who believed in nothing or no one, until the day he met the young and heroic Yunho.  Yunho taught him how to dream and Yunho’s faith in him turned him into a real boy.”

 

“That is an illogical statement.”

 

“It is,” Jimin agreed.  “But it is true, ask your father if you don’t believe me.”

 

“Yunho,” Changmin said with a heavy sigh.  “Where is he?”

 

“He has gone through the Guardian of Time to get another one of these awful necklaces.”

 

“For me?”

 

Jimin nodded his head.  “Yes, there was no need to go searching for another when I would happily give you mine.”

 

“Did Ja… _he_ go with him?”

 

“I am sure he did,” Jimin replied.  “But he would have to wake up first.  Captain Yunho stunned his Royal Highness Prince Jaejoong many times before he sent us up to the shuttle.”

 

“You must know that stunning Ja— _him_ would cause no harm,” Changmin replied, feeling the old anger start to rekindle.

 

Jimin’s hands slid from Changmin’s hair to cup his face.  “You must not become angry.  You must control your emotions.”

 

Changmin nodded his head, closed his eyes, and tried to imagine the ocean.  “You know it is very difficult for me, almost impossible.  It is like something is wrong with me.”

 

“I have faith in you.”

 

“Am I your little monster, Jimin?”  Changmin asked as he peered up into big blue eyes.

 

“No,” Jimin whispered as he shook his head.  “You are my prince.”

 

 

                                                                     ***************************

 

 

Sleep started to slip away

 

He reached out for his lover and pulled him closer.

 

He embraced the one his soul had known for countless lifetimes.

 

A bond that had been suppressed for days, weeks, and months was freed.  The power of a timeless love filled him…a power his soul had ached for even when his memories had betrayed him.  Parts of him that had been numb since he awoke from certain death, after being given a million reasons to live, began to feel alive again.

 

His eyes flew open as his hazy, sleepy mind became aware of the unencumbered bond.

_“Jaejoong!”_   Yunho called out telepathically.

 

“Yunho…”  Jaejoong gasped, while struggling to break free of Yunho’s hold on him.

 

_“I can feel you!”_

 

With a burst of strength, a panicked Jaejoong broke free of Yunho’s embrace and rolled away from his bond mate _._ “No, we can’t!”

 

Yunho’s breathing increased as desire and relief flooded him.  He reached out his hand for Jaejoong, not wanting to lose what he had just found again after so long, causing Jaejoong to move farther away from him.  _“I have missed you so much…I didn’t even know how much.  I was dead inside and I didn’t even know it.”_

 

 _“No!”_ Jaejoong commanded telepathically as he avoided Yunho’s touch.

 

_“Why?”_

 

_“Changmin…”_

 

 _“Changmin…”_ Yunho repeated telepathically while looking at Jaejoong with unsated desire.

 

_“Yes!  Changmin…he needs us.”_

 

“Changmin…Changmin…Changminm,” Yunho repeated aloud, reminding himself of the importance of Changmin, but still his every instinct demanded that he pull Jaejoong back into his arms and make love to him.

 

_“We must help our son…we must…”_

 

 _“Our son.”_   Yunho’s whole body quaked as his love for his son battled against his desperate need to be with Jaejoong.

 

“Our son,” Jaejoong whispered aloud.  “He has to be the priority.”

 

“But…but…” Yunho said struggling.  “I need to get away from you.”

 

“Go!”

 

Yunho rose up on shaky legs, exited the shelter, and stumbled away. “Changmin!  Changmin is my son…our son…our son…we have to help him,” Yunho spoke aloud, and tried to call on the strength that had made him capable of commanding starships. 

 

Yunho fell to his knees, leaned his head back, and looked up at the night sky.  The storm had passed, and the night was clear and beautiful.  He stared up at the stars.  Stars were what starship captains dreamed of as little boys.  The stars meant more now.  They were a reminder…a sweet reminder of a timeless love.  “Our love was written in the stars eons ago.”

 

“Yes,” Jaejoong replied as he stepped out of the shelter.  “This is just one chapter in a story that will last for eternity.”

 

“My soul wants to run to you for all the times the older versions of my soul…” Yunho paused as his heart ached for the other versions of himself…the broken ones.  “For all the sad endings.”

 

“But you are not the man in the rose garden.  You are the best man I have ever met.  The strongest person I have ever known.  This separation is just temporary.  We could be selfish and believe me I want to fall into your arms, but I need to be better.  You have always been such a good parent to him…as a child and as a man.  I have only ever failed Changmin as an adult.  Please, help me to put him first.”

 

Yunho closed his eyes and collected his waning strength.  “Block me.”

 

“Yes, my love.”

 

The power of the bond started slipping away causing Yunho to unabashedly cry.   He could not help but mourn the immense loss of it.  The parts of him that had felt so alive only seconds ago were now filled with the numbness.  He regretted his decision, while at the same time knowing he couldn’t have made any other decision.  

 

“This is not permanent,” Jaejoong gently reminded him as he walked up to Yunho.  “I will heal Changmin and then we will be together in all ways.”

 

Yunho looked up at Jaejoong, who looked extremely collected compared to him.  “Is the block just one sided?”

 

“It would affect you more than me, but I am also affected.  If I weren’t in stage one of shifting, I would be most destressed by your hysterics.”

 

Yunho’s weeping immediately stopped.  “I am not hysterical.”

 

“You are on your knees blubbering,” Jaejoong pointed out.  “I don’t blame you though I am amazing.”

 

Yunho wiped his eyes and complained loudly, “Jaejoong!”

 

“I won’t tell anyone about your breakdown.  It is rather unbecoming of a starship captain, not to mention an honorary member of the Royal House of Joong.”

 

“I didn’t have a breakdown!”  Yunho denied as he climbed to his feet.  “How you acted when I put the Custos Humanae Vitae on is a better example of a breakdown.”

 

Jaejoong’s eyes opened wide in alarm.  “Yunho!  If you even think about putting that thing on, I will seduce you on the spot!  I am still recovering from the Gloom!”

 

“Why? Aren’t we already blocked?”  Yunho questioned coyly as he started packing up the camp careful not to mention the Gloom.  “I don’t know what difference it would make.”

 

Jaejoong stammered, “I…I…toooold yoouu…the blocking…it affects…you a bit more than me.”

 

“I am thinking _a lot_ more!”

 

“I am affected, but to a lesser extent,” Jaejoong confessed to Yunho.  “But if I had coddled you it would not have helped.  You would have just moped.”

 

“You are probably right,” Yunho admitted reluctantly, knowing himself all too well.  “I was feeling sorry for myself.  Indulging me would have only prolonged my misery.  Luckily you acted like an asshole and I feel dandy now.”

 

“I do my best.”

 

Yunho finished packing up the camp and then told his mate, “Let’s head out.  If we leave now, we will be there before dawn and we can get this mission over with.”

 

“I agree,” Jaejoong responded.  “The real mission starts for me once we get back to the ship.  Changmin will not want my help.”

 

“No,” Yunho agreed as they headed in direction of the Custos Humanae Vitae.  “But he is smart, and he will eventually understand he needs your help.  It might take time though.”

 

“During that time, we cannot sleep near each other,” Jaejoong advised.  “It is too tempting, and you are too clingy.”

 

Yunho inhaled a deep breath and slowly exhaled it.  “When I fell asleep you were on the other side of the shelter.”

 

“Like I said it is too tempting.  It was my fault,” Jaejoong acknowledged.  “I got too close to you.  I had a moment of weakness.  I wish the bitchy part of stage one shifting would take over until I finish healing Changmin.”

 

“Oh joy,” Yunho quipped.

 

“You will have to move out of our quarters temporary.”

 

“No.”

 

Jaejoong, who was walking beside Yunho, demanded, “What do you mean?  We cannot sleep in the same place!”

 

“I mean no,” Yunho stated clearly.  “I am the captain and it is the captain’s quarters, plus Changmin and Jimin live with me.”

 

Jaejoong stopped.  “What?  An unbonded Joong is living with you?”

 

“With me and _Changmin_!”

 

“Still, it isn’t proper!”  Jaejoong protested. “You are both members of the Joong Royal House and Jimin is a common Joong!  I know you, so I know you don’t have Jimin acting as a servant!”

 

“Of course, I don’t!  Jimin worships you,” Yunho informed Jaejoong as he continued on.  “I had him stay with us for Changmin’s sake.  He irritates the hell out of Changmin, and it is just what our son needs.”

 

“A common Joong should not be irritating royalty!” Jaejoong snapped, but quickly added, “Although, worshiping me is the appropriate response.”

 

“He can sense Changmin, and I think he does Changmin a world of good,” Yunho explained.  “Jimin is in love with Ensign Jungkook, but he desperately wants to help Changmin.”

 

Jaejoong hurried to catch up with Yunho.  “Changmin is not receptive to his help?”

 

“Actually, I think he is.  Changmin is different with Jimin…it’s hard to explain.  It is true that Jimin irritates Changmin, but at the same time Changmin is comfortable with him.”

 

“So, this Joong shows proper respect towards Changmin?”

 

Yunho rolled his eyes.  “Yes, and he was outraged that I had dared to stun your Royal Highness.”

 

“As he should be.”

 

“Once you get back to the ship, he will probably follow you around and beg to serve you all the time.”

 

Jaejoong smiled, delighted by the idea and relented, “Then I will allow them to stay with you, until I have finished healing Changmin.  But once I have completed the task at hand they have to move to their own quarters.”

 

“Most definitely,” Yunho agreed as he turned his head and grinned at Jaejoong.  “I have plans for us and they don’t include an audience.”

 

“Agreed, so till then it will be like we are dating.”

 

“I think I like that idea.”

 

“Of course, Joongs have no need for dating, but it should be entertaining.”

 

                                                              ***********************

 

Yoochun exited the turbolift and stepped onto the bridge.  He smiled when he noticed Lieutenant Sooyoung in the captain’s chair.  “That’s a nice look for you, Lieutenant Sooyoung.”

 

Lieutenant Sooyoung turned around and greeted the engineer with a warm smile. “It isn’t a look I’m interested in pursuing.”

 

“Yunho will be relieved.  So, order J138KC98 is still in effect?”

 

“Yes, for the time being,” Lieutenant Sooyoung explained.  “Once the Custos Humanae Vitae is safely around Lieutenant Jung’s neck all should return to normal.”

 

“Let’s hope,” Yoochun told her and then asked, “Where is Commander Cho?”

 

“He’s currently in the Captain’s Ready Room.”

 

Commander Yoochun shook his head in disapproval.  “He’s always looking for some reason to retreat to Yunho’s office.”

 

Lieutenant Sooyoung just smiled as Commander Yoochun headed for the Captain’s Ready Room.  Yoochun entered without announcing himself and walked up to the desk were Commander Cho was seated. “What now?”

 

“We wait,” Commander Cho told him, while studying a tablet.

 

“For how long?”

 

“For as long as it takes,” Commander Cho replied as he looked up at Commander Yoochun.  “He hasn’t even been gone an hour.”

 

“I know but it makes me uneasy,” Commander Yoochun explained.  “Do you think Jaejoong went after him?”

 

“Yes, don’t you?”

 

Yoochun sighed.  “Yeah, if he is back then he went after Yunho.  Is it true he protected the away team from Changmin?”

 

“Yes, and a large portion of the planet.”

 

“He is sane again?”

 

“It appears that way.”

 

Yoochun scratched the back of his neck.  “A sane Jaejoong definitely went after Yunho.”

 

Commander Cho studied Commander Yoochun closely and asked, “Did you know Jaejoong had altered the captain’s mind?”

 

Yoochun gaped at Commander Cho before he responded, “Yes, but how did you know?”

 

“The captain told Ryeowook before he beamed back down to the planet,” Commander Cho explained.  “Apparently the Guardian of Time undid what Jaejoong did to the captain’s mind.”

 

“Wow,” Yoochun declared, surprised.  “No wonder Changmin had Yunho beam back to the ship.  That must have hit him hard.”

 

“Let me get this clear,” Commander Cho stated in a critical voice, “You knew the captain’s memory had been altered and yet you did nothing?”

 

Yoochun folded his arms across his chest.  “That’s right, because he was better off.  Yunho was still Yunho.  He just wasn’t miserable.”

 

“Who else knew?”

 

“Your husband knew… _even though_ we did our best not to confirm it for him,” Yoochun admitted. “Kangin and Changmin also knew.”

 

Kyuhyun nodded his head not surprised by the news.  “Truthfully, I even wondered about it myself.  I knew Jaejoong had made things easier for me to handle in the past.  How did the captain not know?”

 

“Jaejoong must have done something that kept Yunho from realizing the truth…because he should have known.”

 

“Or maybe Jaejoong made it where the captain just didn’t care.  I didn’t care.”

 

Yoochun, who had a good idea of what incident Kyuhyun was referring to, did not ask the commander to clarify.  “Well, the captain knows now.”

 

“He does and he acted in his usual exemplary way.”

 

“I was told he stunned Jaejoong?”

 

“He did.”

 

“Jaejoong won’t be happy.”

 

“After their last parting it isn’t like he could trust him,” Commander Cho pointed out.  “It isn’t like any of us could trust him.  We didn’t know he was actually saving people.”

 

“No,” Yoochun agreed as he turned and headed back to the door.  “I guess I will go back to engineering.”

 

“Wait.”

 

Yoochun stopped, turned around, and scrutinized the commander.  “Why?”

 

“I have a question for you,” Commander Cho told the engineer.  “Were you behind getting me assigned to security?”

 

Yoochun grinned and looked delighted by the question.  “Nope.”

 

“The captain…the captain was…he wanted it?”

 

The engineer rolled his eyes.  “If the captain didn’t want it, it wouldn’t be happening.  It was a good idea.  An idea we approved of whole heartedly.”

 

Commander Cho frowned.  “Whose idea?”

 

“Well, you see me and Yunho were fighting over which one of us had to part with our golden lieutenant.  It was Yunho’s turn but he didn’t see it that way.  He was being cranky and he came very close to pulling rank on me when Lieutenant Sunggyu came up with the perfect suggestion.”

 

“Lieutenant Sunggyu?”

 

“Yep,” Commander Yoochun replied with a big grin.  “At first, we both thought…no, because have you ever been in charge of anything?”

 

Kyuhyun glowered.  “I am second in charge of this ship.”

 

Commander Yoochun laughed.  “No, you aren’t.  I am second in charge of this ship.  You are for decoration purposes and nothing else.  Yunho and I both knew our golden lieutenants could handle security and Kangin with ease, but we both doubted you were capable of it.”

 

Commander Cho stood up.  “And yet I am in charge of it now.”

 

“Yep, because is it fair to have two people under you that are more capable than you?  Yunho wanted to give you a chance to prove yourself worthy of being second in command of the ship.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

“It is, so you can pout about it, or you can prove yourself worthy,” Commander Yoochun told Commander Cho as he turned and walked toward the door.  “You decide.”

 

 

                                                           ************************

 

 

Jaejoong and Yunho had been walking for less than an hour when they reached their destination.  They hid behind a thicket of bushes as they surveyed the area.  The Custos Humanae Vitae was located in an underground bunker that was located on the side of a small hill.

 

Yunho studied the tricorder that showed a total of fourteen Zusaders above and below the ground combined.  He also noted that there were two small spacecraft parked near the bunker on a crude landing pad.  The entrance was being guarded by two very large Zusaders.  Yunho had no desire to tangle with the two huge Zusaders.  “Are you ready?” 

 

“Yes, I just wish my telepathy was more effective against them.”

 

“I second that,” Yunho concurred.  “I’d rather you not have to get within five feet of those monsters to be able to read their minds.  Imagine the intel we could have gathered already.”

 

“Plus, I could melt their brains from here.”

 

Yunho frowned.  “I thought you could only kill if they were attacking me or our children?”

 

Jaejoong rolled his eyes.  “When they see you, they are going to attack, I assure you.  It is simply a preemptive strike.”

 

Yunho side eyed Jaejoong.  “I think the longer I know you the laxer you get with your Joong laws.”

 

Jaejoong let out a fake cough. “I don’t know what you mean.”

 

Yunho shook his head and reminded his mate, “Didn’t you say some Zusaders tried to free you?  What if those are nice Zusaders, who are just at ZhouMi’s mercy?”

 

“He most likely wouldn’t let nice ones guard the door.”

 

“Well, luckily we don’t need your telepathy to disable them,” Yunho told the Joong as he reached for his phaser and stunned the Zusaders, who were unaware of their presence.  “You don’t have to be close to someone to stun them.”

 

“That seems like cheating.”

 

Yunho got up and headed for the entrance.  “Well, they aren’t dead.”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“Jaejoong…”

 

“You should awaken one so I can read it’s mind,” Jaejoong suggested as thy neared the fallen Zusaders.  “You said you wanted intel.”

 

“Can you not read it’s mind with it stunned?” 

 

“I doubt it,” Jaejoong replied.  “Their minds are very unusual.”

 

“Not primitive?”

 

“Yes, but Joongs can control even less evolved animals…it’s like they have thick skulls or something,” Jaejoong told Yunho as they approached the door.

 

Yunho looked down at the guards, who reminded him of the wild boars on Earth, just a lot bigger and a lot meaner. “They do look like they have thick skulls.”

 

“Wake this one up,” Jaejoong ordered as he came and stood over one of the Zusaders.  “I can’t sense anything from him.  It’s like he has a rock for a brain.”

 

“And if he tries anything?”

 

“You can stun him,” Jaejoong assured the captain as he knelt in front of the Zusader.  “He’s not going to do anything though because my first telepathic command will be not to move.”

 

Yunho removed a stimulant from the medkit and used a hypospray to inject it into the Zusader.  The Zusader immediately awakened but remained still as Jaejoong’s mental commands took hold.  Yunho watched with his phaser drawn as Jaejoong retrieved the needed information from the beast’s mind. 

 

When Jaejoong was finished he told Yunho, “Stun him again, but he is just as nasty as I feared.  He didn’t get that big from being a sweetheart.”

 

“I am still going to stun him,” Yunho told Jaejoong, before shooting the Zusader with his phaser.  “His people are being used by ZhouMi, no matter how nasty they are.”

 

“Just as I surmised there is a Joong inside,” Jaejoong informed Yunho, while looking at the giant steel door that blocked their entrance.  “The guards do not even have keys to enter the bunker.  ZhouMi is a lot less trusting than he was when he left me staked out in plain sight of everyone.”

 

“So, the other Zusaders are locked inside?”

 

“Yes,” Jaejoong answered.  “The vile warlord visits every few days at random intervals to check and see if the Joong is ready to bond with him.  When the Joong doesn’t do as he wishes he proceeds to order it to be tortured and debased.”

 

“Debased are you talking about rape?”

 

“Yes, among other things.”

 

Yunho looked confused.  “Why does ZhouMi allow it?  I mean you bond by the sharing of bodily fluids.  Why would he risk the Joong bonding with a Zusader?”

 

“They rape by instrumentation,” Jaejoong explained and added in a perturbed voice, “Bonding is much more than the sharing of bodily fluids!  There is a powerful mental component that can only be initiated by the Joong.  Some Joong are tortured for years.  ZhouMi could continue brutalizing this Joong for decades.  Giving in is losing the chance to find your true bond mate.”

 

“Why the hell did the Guardian of Time not send us back when that fucking warlord was here?”

 

“Did you ask it to?”

 

“No, I had no idea where it would send me.”

 

Jaejoong dusted off his white robes, that were not as white as they had been when he had first stepped through the time portal.  “True, but we are here now, and we shouldn’t wait for him to show up.”

 

“No,” Yunho agreed as he aimed his phaser at the steel door and vaporized it.  “It’s a rescue mission now.  Why do Joongs ever leave their home world?”

 

“For love Yunho…in hopes of finding love.  It’s why I left home,” Jaejoong answered as he followed behind Yunho.  “Although, my birth-parent has temporally put a stop to unbonded Joongs leaving our home world.”

 

Yunho stopped after entering the tunnel and read the tricorder.  The tunnel appeared to be carved out of a substance that was similar to limestone on Earth.  “Good.”

 

“You would say that,” Jaejoong scoffed.  “Now imagine you are a Joong and you know your bond mate is not on Joong.  You are an empath so you have felt the power of love all your life, but you realize you will never know it for yourself if you aren’t allowed to leave the planet.”

 

“I understand your point, but I would never want the fate that has befallen this Joong to befall one of our children,” Yunho informed Jaejoong as he walked down the tunnel toward the Custos Humanae Vitae.  “Luckily Changmin looks human and even Taemin looked human.”

 

Jaejoong shook his head.  “I pray our children still have the ability to bond.  I would not want them to be deprived of such a wonderful feeling of completion.  I myself—”

 

Yunho held up his hand halting Jaejoong when the tricorder picked up three Zusaders heading their way.  They waited quietly and as soon as the Zusaders appeared in their line of sight Yunho stunned them.  “Five down…nine to go.”

 

“I am glad I was never stuck in this hole,” Jaejoong mumbled as he followed behind Yunho, while sneering at the dusty tunnel that was further dirtying his royal clothing.  “How much farther?”

 

“Only a few hundred feet.  It’s not far at all,” Yunho whispered.  “We are lucky that ZhouMi doesn’t trust the Zusaders with any real technology other than the ships.”

 

“Only a few Zusaders have the mental capacity to operate even basic technology.  The spaceships must be for humans that visit this planet.”

 

“Shhh…” Yunho instructed as the loud voices of Zusaders could be heard ahead of them.  “I think they noticed something is amiss.”

 

Jaejoong walked up to Yunho, careful not to touch him, and peered down at the tricorder.  “Can’t you just aim your phaser in the general vicinity and knock those five out?”

 

“I could but this tunnel doesn’t exactly look sturdy,” Yunho explained.  “I’d hate to cause it to cave in.”

 

“Yes, you would no doubt try to die again if that happened,” Jaejoong bemoaned.  “Then I would be forced to heal you, and then even I would not have the strength to block you after healing you.”

 

“I don’t try to die!”  Yunho hissed.

 

“You do,” Jaejoong insisted.  “Except that one time I wanted you to die, and then you were all about living.”

 

Yunho glared at Jaejoong.  “Do we really want to have this discussion now?”

 

“I was just pointing out the facts.”

 

“I can’t believe you,” Yunho complained as he stretched out his hand and fired the phaser at five Zusaders that had begun to charge down the tunnel toward them.  “I thought you wanted to live?”

 

“I do…now.”

 

“Good,” Yunho declared as he headed toward the necklace and the poor Joong that wore it.  “I don’t always try to die!  Stop saying that!”

 

Jaejoong rolled his eyes and followed after the captain.

 

“The last four Zusaders are all in a concentrated area.”

 

“They are surrounding the Joong no doubt,” Jaejoong responded.  “They fear what ZhouMi will do to them if they lose it.”

 

“Too damn bad for them.”

 

Jaejoong winced knowing exactly what ZhouMi would do to the Zusaders and their families.  “You should let me kill them.  It would be kinder.”

 

“I thought you weren’t _supposed_ to do mercy killings.  Breaking your rules again?”

 

“No!  The moment you enter that room they are going to attack you,” Jaejoong informed Yunho.  “I would be protecting you because they will try to kill you.”

 

“They can try,” Yunho told Jaejoong as he kicked the door open.  Jaejoong was right the four Zusaders immediately rushed forward but Yunho quickly disposed of them with his phaser. 

 

Yunho eyes landed on a Joong cowering in the corner.  It wore nothing but the necklace.  The Joong was covered in cuts and bruises.  The room was full of torture devices and it made Yunho regret that he had not allowed Jaejoong to kill the Zusaders.  “We are here to save you!”

 

The Joong shivered, remained quiet, and didn’t raise its head.  Yunho wondered how many times Joong were told they were being saved only to find themselves in another disastrous situation.  “I am Captain Jung Yunho and you have nothing to fear from me.  I am bonded to Prince Jaejoong, who is with me.”

 

The Joong quickly raised its head and stared at Jaejoong, who was walking toward them.  “I am Prince Jaejoong of the Royal House of Joong,” Jaejoong stated regally as he knelt in front of the wounded Joong.  “When you left Joong you knew you would be left to your own means, per Joong law, but destiny has intervened to save you from this awful fate that has befallen you.”

 

The Joong pointed toward the necklace and motioned for them to remove it.

 

“Do I need to remove the necklace?”  Yunho asked. 

 

“No,” Jaejoong stated as he carefully reached up and removed the necklace from the Joong. 

 

Yunho and Jaejoong watched as relief flooded over the Joong as a world of senses opened to it.  Jaejoong said aloud for Yunho, “We were in search of a Custos Humanae Vitae and the Guardian of Time chose to bring us to this time and place.  You have been spared by the Guardian of Time.”  And then Jaejoong added telepathically, _“Do not forget this. Do not betray the trust that was instilled in our people from ancient times.”_

 

The Joong bowed and nodded its head. _“Your Royal Highness Prince Jaejoong the secrets of Joong are sacred to me. They can take my life and they can take my dignity, but I will never betray Joong.”_

_“Are you capable of traveling?”_

_“Yes, my injuries are minor they do not require the healing sleep.  They had not yet begun the more severe torture.”_

 

“What is your name?”  Yunho asked, while watching both of the Joongs, who appeared to be having a silent conversation.

 

The Joong turned to Yunho and answered, “I am Sungjong.”

 

Yunho focused on Jaejoong and questioned, “Will the Guardian of Time allow Sungjong to return to Joong through it?”

 

_“Sungjong, do you wish to return to Joong?”_

 

_“Your Royal Highness Jaejoong, I have not yet found my bond mate.  If I return now…all this...all I have endured would have been for nothing.  I cannot give up the search.”_

 

_“Understood.”_

 

Yunho, who rightfully suspected the Joongs were having a telepathic conversation, realized Sungjong must feel extremely uncomfortable being naked.  Yunho started to remove his jacket, causing Jaejoong to hold up his hand and stop him. “That will not be necessary. No need to offer your clothing to a distressed Joong today.”

 

The Joong was completely naked and Yunho could not imagine that anyone, who had suffered such an ordeal would not want to wear clothing.  “Wouldn’t they be more comfortable wearing clothes?”

 

“Of course,” Jaejoong agreed as he removed his extravagant white robe and handed it to the now standing Joong.  Jaejoong was wearing white pants and a white shirt under the robe.  “I just have more clothing to spare than you.”

 

“Your Royal Highness Jaejoong, I cannot wear the royal clothing,” Sungjong sputtered aloud, shocked by the prince’s generous gift.

 

“I am not being kind,” Jaejoong informed the Joong and Yunho.  “Once many years ago a critically injured Yunho loaned me his jacket, and that small act of kindness moved me greatly.  The only Joong or person I want wearing Yunho’s clothing is me.  I am rather territorial when it comes to him.”

 

“You are too easy,” Yunho teased, but couldn’t help but be stirred by the memory of the first day they had met.

 

Jaejoong turned and winked at him.  “Only for you my darling.”

 

“Your Royal Highness Prince Jaejoong, you are gracious and kind.  I will never forget what you have done for me today.  You will one day be the greatest ruler Joong has ever known.”

 

“Although, someday I will most likely take my place as the next King of Joong, none of that matters when I am with Yunho.”

 

“It doesn’t?”  Yunho asked surprised.  “Since when?”

 

Jaejoong grinned at Yunho and amended, “It matters some, but the most important thing is that we continue on our journey together as partners.”

 

“We make a good team,” Yunho replied as he smiled back at his mate.

 

“The best,” Jaejoong agreed, while turning to face Sungjong. “If you must continue on your search for your bond mate, I wish you luck.  You may take your leave of us now.”

 

“Thank you, Your Royal Highness Jaejoong and Captain Yunho,” The Joong told them before heading out of the room.

 

An aghast Yunho turned and stared at Jaejoong.  “They aren’t going back to Joong?”

 

“No,” Jaejoong answered as he followed after the Joong. “They haven’t found what they are looking for yet and they dare not give up the search for their bond mate.”

 

“It’s madness,” Yunho replied as they followed after the Joong. 

 

“It’s not.”

 

“It is.”

 

Jaejoong shook his head as they continued down the tunnel.  “How can you…you who have experienced the power of the bond say such a thing?  Might I remind you how you were bawling and sniveling earlier this morning after I blocked the bond? 

 

Yunho glared.  “No, you may not!”

 

“I was just reminding you that love is a great incentive,” Jaejoong told Yunho with a smirk.

 

“It’s still crazy to stay on this planet.  Does Sungjong plan on bonding with a Zusader?”

 

“No.”

 

“Then why would they stay here?”  Yunho asked as they exited the tunnel and stopped. 

 

Jaejoong watched the Joong as they headed in the direction of the landing pad.  “They are going to leave this planet.  They know how to fly the spaceships.”

 

“Oh…”

 

“Sungjong has faced unimaginable horrors, but the greatest tragedy of all would be to never find the love they seek,” Jaejoong softly told Yunho.

 

Yunho nodded his head.  “I understand now.”

 

Jaejoong smiled at Yunho and apologized, “I am sorry I reminded you of your blubbering.”

 

“Will you stop!”

 

“I was apologizing.”

 

Yunho smiled back at Jaejoong.  “You are lucky.”

 

“How so?” 

 

“That I have never loved you more than I do right now,” Yunho told Jaejoong as he placed his hand over his own heart.  “When you blocked our bond for Changmin’s sake that touched me in a way nothing else ever has.  You are amazing, my love.”

 

Jaejoong, whose eyes were suddenly sparkly, admonished, “You need to stop, or I am going to be the one blubbering.”

 

“I really want to hug you,” Yunho lovingly informed his partner, his husband, his bond mate, and his timeless love.

 

“Don’t you dare…” Jaejoong warned as he took a step away from Yunho, while wiping his eyes.  “We haven’t even had our first date yet.”

 

Yunho chuckled and declared, “I think it is time we return to the ship.”

 

Jaejoong smiled beautifully at his mate, bowed his head, and stated in his most respectful voice, “Great Guardian of Time, protector of all of eternity.  We kindly request that you return us to our ship.”

 

“Our ship I like that…” Yunho paused as he noticed they were no longer on the planet but standing on the transporter platform with Lieutenant Donghae and Ensign Kangin staring back at him.  “Lieutenant Donghae, did you beam us here?”

 

“No, Sir,” Lieutenant Donghae replied.  “You two just appeared.”

 

“Lieutenant Donghae, how long have we been gone?”

 

“Fifty-three minutes, Sir,” Lieutenant Donghae answered, while looking at the necklace.  “I see you got what you went after.”

 

“I did,” Yunho replied as he marveled at the power of the Guardian of Time, and then he hit his combadge, “Lieutenant Sooyoung, I have returned, and the mission was accomplished.  Jaejoong is with me, and he is recovered.”

 

Jaejoong looked adoringly at Yunho with sparkly eyes.  “Not completely, but I am getting there.”

 

“Captain Yunho,” Lieutenant Sooyoung stated over the combadge.  “The necessary security protocols are in place and your ship welcomes you back, Sir.”

 

“Take this,” Jaejoong told Yunho as he handed him the necklace.  “He isn’t ready to see me…not without this on.  I did great damage to him and the road to recovery will not be easy, but it starts today.”

 

Yunho took the necklace from Jaejoong and agreed, “It does.”

 

Jaejoong stepped off the transporter platform, walked up to Kangin, and ordered, “Take me to the most extravagant of all the guest quarters on the ship.”

 

“Guest quarters…” Kangin asked, surprised by the request.  “You won’t be staying with the captain?”

 

“No,” Jaejoong answered as he turned back to Yunho and winked.  “We haven’t even gone on our first date yet.  I am a Prince of Joong I’m not that _easy_.”

 

Yunho winked back at him.  “That isn’t how I remember it.”

 

Jaejoong laughed and then took Kangin by the arm.  “Can you believe his insolence.  So rude!”

 

“The captain never ceases to amaze me,” Ensign Kangin, who was startled by Jaejoong touching him, replied.

 

“You are a good friend, Kangin,” Jaejoong told the security officer.  “Even though you fail at a whole assortment of other things.  Now, take me to my new quarters.”

 

“As you wish your Royal Highness,” Ensign Kangin grumbled as he escorted Jaejoong out of the transporter room.

 

Yunho watched them leave and then turned to Lieutenant Donghae.  “Prepare to beam me over to the shuttle but I don’t intend on staying long.”

 

Donghae grinned at the captain and arched an inquisitive eyebrow.  “You don’t, Sir.”

 

“No, I have a very important date I can’t be late for,” Yunho told him with a big smile on his face.  “Beam me away.”

 

“Aye, aye, Sir.”

 


End file.
